Chairing with Charisma Sally Bridgeland Younger Members’ Convention 29 November 2004

Agenda What can go wrong? Role of the chairman Preparation Keeping to the agenda Facilitating decisions Group work Review Closing remarks

Symptoms of poor chairmanship Is your life filled with long boring meetings? Do you often wonder why you are there? Do you feel that nothing really happens and it’s just one big talk shop?

Chairman can influence What can go wrong? Wrong agenda Wrong issues Wrong attendees Wrong venue Wrong format Wrong timing Wrong length Wrong chairman Surprises Chairman can influence all of these

Role of the chairman Set agenda Keep to agenda Let people have their say But not off agenda Make sure decisions made Make sure actions clear Who, what and when Chairman needs to be ruthless, charismatic or both

Preparation Why you are having the meeting and what do you expect to get out of it? Decisions or discussions? How long will it take if everyone is well prepared? And if they are not? Who needs to be there? Can another attendee represent their interests to keep numbers down? What venue and format would suit them? What background do they need to bring them up to speed? Is this the same for everyone? What format? What does the agenda look like?

Keeping to the agenda The balancing act BUT Encourage and manage group discussion to obtain all ideas and to ensure that participants feel that their attendance has been worthwhile BUT Keep conversations focused on the topic to ensure they do not become unproductive

Tips “Park” issues and solve outside the meeting Step in and make an “executive” decision If the original purpose, objectives and agenda are no longer appropriate close the meeting or amend the meeting’s purpose, objectives and agenda and continue but only if the participants remain appropriate

Facilitating decisions What do you think the decision should be? Beware of dominance risk and framing Types - what are others likely to think? What and who do they know? What’s their current position? What and who will influence their decision? Tactics - how will you get critical mass? What do you need to do before, during and after the meeting? Who can help you?

Tactics for different types Allies Waiverers Zealots Mutineers Strength of support Opponents Moaners Passives Strength of opposition

Group work Pick a contentious issue, eg Which tactics would you use? Merge the Faculty and Institute Use market valuations in compulsory valuations Which tactics would you use? What do you need to do before during and after the meeting? Who can help you?

Review Did your meeting PASS the test? Purpose Agenda Structure Have a purpose with clear objectives? Agenda Have an agenda and papers distributed in advance so attendees could prepare? Structure Run to time and follow the structure of the agenda? Specific actions Result in clear decisions and specific action points?

Are you sitting comfortably? Closing remarks 80% preparation 20% charisma Be yourself Know your audience If you’re not the chairman Crypto chairman Check understanding Clarify action points Check which agenda item you are on Are you sitting comfortably?

Further reading “Maverick” by Ricardo Semler